Models for grinding HSS Lathe Tools

[Aukai]

Thank you I will take you up on that. Learning the belt sander is part of the issue, and keeping the surfaces flat when honing is another.

 

[Z2V]

Yeah, I'll take you up on it too, I'll get my bus ticket tomorrow!!

 

[thomas s]

Z2V I hope that bus can float.

 

[Z2V]

Those small details, they get me every time!

 

[ddickey]

I'm coming too!

 

[ttabbal]

All I was going to do was have people ship blanks to mikey's place, now we're arranging a party at his place...

 

[mikey]

You guys cracked me up this morning! If any of you ever do visit Honolulu, let me know and we'll get together for a tool grinding thing. My shop extension should be done by then and I'll be able to access all my machines so we can even test the tools. Would be fun!

 

[mikey]

Thank you I will take you up on that. Learning the belt sander is part of the issue, and keeping the surfaces flat when honing is another.

The key issues with a belt sander will be the table and platen. You have a Jet 2x42 and the table, while adequate for most tasks, is not set up from grinding tools. It will work; you just have to get the angles set right. The platen is attached only on the bottom so it can flex; that makes holding accurate angles difficult.

Can you post a pic of how the platen is configured? Maybe from the side?

Honing can be tricky for some. What I do is to hold the stone in one hand and the bit in the other. Then I place the face I'm honing in full contact with the stone and lock my wrists. Then I use a pulling motion to make a full stroke on the stone and then re-register the face and make another stroke. You don't need a lot of pressure with a diamond stone; what you are trying to do is not allow your hand angles to change. I find that if I use a lot of tension in my wrists, it is less accurate. Try to relax but keep your wrists locked. Hard to explain but it doesn't take a lot of muscle power to lock your wrists; just don't let them move. Oh yeah, I do all of this under a bit of running water to keep the grit off the stone but a basin that you can dip into works fine, too.

 

[Aukai]

Back shot..If..the picture here is cropped, click on it to see full view

 

[mikey]

I would make a new platen from 1/4" thick steel. Make the base, weld the platen to it, then box the sides with flat plates welded to the platena and base. Then I would make the slot long enough to allow you to epoxy on a Pyroceram liner. A boxed structure should be solid enough.